Abstract:
The main objective of this study was to investigate teachers’ and learners’ awareness,
practices and challenges of using communicative grammar. The study was a descriptive
research which was analyzed in both qualitative and quantitative method of data analysis.
Questionnaire, interview, and classroom observation were used to gather the necessary
data. Three English teachers were selected by Comprehensive sampling method and 143
students were selected by stratified sampling to get necessary information. Both
questionnaires (open-ended for teachers and close-ended for learners) and interviews
containing related concepts and equal number of items were designed and delivered to
teachers and students. Additionally, classroom observations were also used in gathering
data. On the other hand, four grammar classes were observed to validate the data obtained
through the aforementioned tools. The overall findings include: the students’ lack of
opportunities to practice language items in meaningful situations, the teachers’ reluctance
to employ various techniques of teaching and using different tasks as well as adapting the
textbook based on the students’ background knowledge. Besides, the inadequacy of the
textbook (both in content and distribution), teachers’ lack of motivations, the students’ poor
exposure, shortage of time given for a period and the large class sizes in which many
students found in a class are identified as the major hindrances. Finally, hoping that the
study initiates others for further inquiry, some recommendations were made to settle the
existing gaps. For instance, MoE, universities, and colleges, at the outset, ought to curiously
work together on quality to pre-service and in-service teacher training to address issues at
the grassroots level. Teachers are advised to teach grammar using a communicative
approach rather than a rigorous and old-fashioned way. Additionally, teachers should use
a variety of tasks/techniques in their grammar lessons such as visuals, graphs, stories, role
plays, games, problem-solving activities, and so on, to make grammar teaching more
interactive and communicative. Curriculum designers should also incorporate varieties of
effective and sufficient CGT techniques in the text. Teachers should present grammar items
either deductively or inductively based on the nature of the grammar points.
